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Syracuse students spend their break preparing for the future

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Audasia Odoms (left) and Kelsey Farley (right) work at computers with youth advocate Margaret Cheng (standing) at the Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection at Phoenix Center, 101 East Ave. They are all from Henninger High School.
(David Lassman | dlassman@syracuse.com)

Syracuse -- For the sixth straight weekday Friday, Nottingham High School sophomore Kalani Bell spent her spring break at an old school building on the city’s east side.

It wasn’t that she didn’t know about the break. It’s just that being at the Phoenix Center – the new name for the old Solace School at 101 East Ave. – made a lot more sense to her than hanging around at home and maybe getting herself into mischief.

View full sizeWayne O'Connor, director of the Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, stands in front of a student photography display at the Phoenix Center.David Lassman | dlassman@syracuse.com

Bell was one of more than 300 Syracuse school district students who spent much of their time during the break at the center run by the Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection.

Throughout the week, students at the center had their choice of dozens of activities – all of which began with making sure their homework was done. But they also got tutoring and SAT prep, listened to guest speakers, took part in cooking classes and basketball games, used the fitness center, got free haircuts and ventured out to bowl, roller skate and make college visits, among many other things.

Bell was doing some research in the center’s computer lab Friday morning. Later, she planned to go with a group of volunteers to deliver Meals on Wheels. She had done that earlier in the week, and was surprised to discover how much fun it was.

“I really love it,” she said with a broad smile.

Hillside Executive Director Wayne O’Connor said this week drew more students to the center than he has ever seen over a school break. There were there, he said, because they are intent on doing the right thing.

“These are all good kids,” he said. “The stereotype is wrong. They all want to graduate. They all want to go to college.”

The Work-Scholarship Connection, which originated in Rochester, is a 25-year-old program geared to keeping kids in school and guiding them through graduation. It serves 915 students in Syracuse who are considered at risk of dropping out. Most join the program in seventh, eighth or ninth grade.

Operating with funding from the school district, Wegmans and several other organizations, the program has 30 “youth advocates” stationed in schools throughout the city, keeping tabs on its students and making sure they stay on track.

As the students get older, they become eligible to train for and accept part-time work at Wegmans and other employers if they so choose.

Every school day, kids can come to the Phoenix Center for after-school tutoring and activities -- and to get away from problems they may face at home or on the street. The program has four vans and several cars that transport students from their schools to the center – and drops them off at home later.

Although they come from all sides of the city, where turf battles can still reign, O’Connor said he has never seen a fight in the center.

“They’re good kids,” he said. “They just need that extra level of support.”

Bell said she had heard about the program for a while, but avoided it.

“I just thought it was lame,” she said.

After an advocate stopped her in the hallway at Nottingham and talked to her about it – and after her father strongly advised her to give it a try -- she changed her mind. Since then, she has been attending just about every day after school, and her grades have shot up. She says she is now on track to graduate and go on to college.

O’Connor said there is a waiting list of 50 to 60 students who could be served if the program had more funding.